Papillomaviruses have been closely linked to the etiology of human cervical, oral and skin cancers. We demonstrated rhesus monkeys, including those located at the Tulane Regional Primate Research Center (TRPRC), have a papillomaviruses identical to, or closely related to Rhesus Papillomavirus type 1 (RhPV1). RhPV1 is a virus from a malignant rhesus penile tumor and is very closely related to the oncogenic human papillomavirus type 16. We have now shown using DNA extracts from exfoliated cervical cells that the TRPRC has at least 12 distinct types of papillomavirus which are similar, but not identical, to RhPV1. Our goal is to obtain a larger sampling of tissues for molecular analysis to try to detect other new virus genotypes which may exist in this population, and possibly to molecularly clone them for future genetic studies. This model system could be a key to understanding the role of human papillomaviruses in genital cancers, and could lead to new molecular and serological correlations with disease or to experimental therapies in a rhesus system very closely related to humans.